You can always rely on Henry for something a little more fun at London Fashion Week and as one of the breed of East London designs, of the newer order as it were, Henry manages to tap into the fun that is the vibe of LFW. There was a real ‘that 70’s show’ vibe to the collection here and I loved all the styling and accessorising that went on. Again models were in flat shoes, again a sign that fashion trends and shows aren’t just about the super high octane but about everyday glam and experimentation too. Fashion is no longer just for the stilettoed. There were some also fantastic sepia toned sunglasses and asymmetric earrings which again brought a really youthful vibe to this safari, come high school Americana, come festival fiesta of fashion.
Prints again referenced leaves and nature, as well as a healthy dose of leopard print. Jackets were a patch work of fabrics and prints, often sleeveless and with oversized patch front pockets. Box tunic tops were again du jour, reinforcing a more relaxed and less body con silhouette for SS’16. The pyjama silhouette we saw at J. JS Lee made a come back here at Henry Holland and again trouser legs were slightly flared – but were cropped to calf length.
Shirt dresses, patch worked prints both different prints panelled together and the same print in different scale ratios were used within the same garment to again give a an eclectic feel to each piece. Nature embellishments were key here and we saw some great sequin and embroidery work in the form of bugs and butterflies that added a texture and richness to the pieces.
Colours were vibrant and the same prints in multiple colour ways were used together to ensure the collection popped. Reds, orange, blue, khaki and monochrome were the staple palette however, accented with other hues throughout.
Stripes were again important, although much more sparingly used, mainly for polo necks and on long socks that emphasised the 70’s Americana vibe of the collection.
The 70’s glam was brought through the sequin detailing and the faux fur, blue coat cinched with a belted waist (divine).
A riot of print can be over whelming but by playing with the colour way and scale throughout Henry Holland created a cohesive, experimental and engaging collection. Dissected and dissimilated the individual pieces are easy to wear and will surely have an influence on the high street in the coming months.
Key Trends:
- 70’s
- Leaf Prints
- Stripes
- Same print, diff colour / scale – one item
- Americana
- Safari
- Oversized pockets
- Red, Blue, White
- Embellishment
- Tropical Birds / Insects
- Pyjama Silhouette
images: Catwalking.com